Senator John McCain Is Furious Over Snowden Stay In Russia

As The Inquisitr reported earlier on Thursday, Edward Snowden has left the Moscow Airport. This has Sen. John McCain furious.

The self-proclaimed NSA leaker was at the Russian airport waiting to obtain asylum on humanitarian grounds. If he returns to the United States, he faces espionage charges after participating in the biggest top secret leak in the history of the country.

Sen. McCain (R-AZ) is not happy with these new developments. He released a statement on Thursday voicing his displeasure,

Russia’s action today is a disgrace and a deliberate effort to embarrass the United States. It is a slap in the face of all Americans. Now is the time to fundamentally rethink our relationship with Putin’s Russia. We need to deal with the Russia that is, not the Russia we might wish for. We cannot allow today’s action by Putin to stand without serious repercussions.

John McCain adds that Putin allowing Snowden to stay should strip away any notions American people have about Russia and its leader.

In a departure from Putin’s conciliatory tone of late, Russia is allowing Snowden to stay for one year until he can find safe permanent passage to another country.

Putin had recently stated that the only way Snowden would be allowed to come into Russian soil is if he stopped harming the United States by divulging of top secret information.

McCain is not alone in his anger. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, (R-N.H.), took to Twitter earlier Thursday

Russia gives #Snowden asylum. Reset = US being run over http://t.co/vBlSZbw7ft

— Kelly Ayotte (@KellyAyotte) August 1, 2013

Republicans are not the only ones displeased. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, (D-N.J.), said that “Edward Snowden is a fugitive who belongs in a United States courtroom, not a free man deserving of asylum in Russia.” The senator also calls the asylum decision a “setback to U.S.-Russia relations.”

Do you think Sen. John McCain is right to be upset about Edward Snowden?